text: In the politically correct age in which we live, "skinless and boneless" sardines have invaded supermarket shelves promising an appropriate and civilized eating experience. If that's what you're looking for, look elsewhere. These are the real thing, and I guess if they're not skinless and boneless then what else can they be but skinny and boney? While this may sound a bit rough around the edges, well, what the heck.<br /><br />Before going any further I have to disclose that I eat sardines every day for lunch. I've tried `em all, and these plump pilchards are right up there among the best.<br /><br />Generally I've operated from the premise that Portuguese sardines are superior, but these are increasingly expensive and sometimes hard to find. So when the local gourmet food store forgot to place my order I looked for an alternative and came across this Spanish substitute. At this juncture my knowledge of geography stood me in good stead as I realized that the Atlantic waters off of Portugal are contiguous with those of Spain, and clearly the fish know no boundaries in between. How different therefore could they be at less than one third the price?<br /><br />This seemed too good to be true and when I noted that they are packed in a combination of soy and olive oil rather than olive oil alone, my suspicions were aroused. Subsequent research into the matter uncovered the finding of the American College of Chest Physicians that soy oil contains omega 3 fatty acids. Sardines themselves are rich in these most beneficial substances so immersing them in more of the same could only seem to make a good thing better.<br /><br />And finally, to cut to the chase, these fish taste great, especially with a liberal squirt of fresh lemon.<br /><br />I do, however, perform a quick dissection prior to indulging.